Adric and Tegan still felt slightly dazed from the information Ellea had shared.
"Rannal had no right to take that from me!" he said.
"No, he didn't," Ellea agreed, "but he really didn't understand what he was doing."
"If you believe that using this skill is wrong, then why do you continue to use it?" Nyssa asked.
"We don't believe that it's wrong when it's used for comfort or for intimacy. And in some situations—" She stopped abruptly, growing pale again.
Nyssa and Tegan exchanged glances. "In what kind of situations?" the Australian asked.
Ellea shook her head. Her eyes were bright with tears. "In desperate times…" she whispered.
"Desperate times?" Adric repeated. "Like with Shand?"
Ellea's eyes flicked to the Doctor's hat, which hung near the door. "You should find him," she said, her voice nearly inaudible. "Find him and leave. You don't have much time."
"What are you talking about?" Tegan asked.
"Oh!" Nyssa gasped and stood abruptly.
"Nyssa?" Tegan questioned. "What is it?"
"We must find the Doctor, and we must find him now," Nyssa replied quickly. She took Tegan's hand to pull her to her feet.
Tears streamed down Ellea's face. "They don't feel that they have a choice," she murmured. "Gerran wants to take me back to Earth. He thinks it's the only way to save our child."
"A choice about what?" Adric asked.
"About taking the Doctor's memories," Nyssa replied with uncharacteristic sharpness. She turned back to Ellea. "Where are they?"
Ellea shook her head. "I don't know."
Tegan was already at the door, grabbing the Doctor's hat as though this item were a tangible link to him. Adric and Nyssa followed her out, all hoping that they could reach their friend before it was too late.
------
The Doctor was staring straight ahead, his eyes clouding slightly as his focus seemed to dull. Gerran sat before him with his hands upon the Time Lord's head.
"Thank you, Doctor," he said softly as the pressure of his palms increased.
The Doctor's eyes darkened and the lids grew heavy. His features seemed to freeze for a moment, then his mouth opened slightly in a deep exhalation. Blood began to trickle from his nose. He slumped down, his body prevented from sliding to the floor only by the hands that still held him. His head lolled back as the blood flowed more heavily. The color had drained entirely from his face.
Gerran's expression had been intent since he first touched the Doctor, but now his mouth twitched and his hands trembled. He had closed his eyes, but they moved rapidly beneath his lids.
"Gerran?" one of the men asked.
Two men moved forward, cautiously placing their hands upon Gerran's shoulders. His head jerked back, hands dropping from the Doctor to press against his own temples. His mouth moved into a deep grimace then opened; guttural groans built quickly to a terrified scream.
------
Tegan, Nyssa, and Adric heard the wrenching cry as they hurried along the path. Without stopping to speak, Tegan pointed toward the meeting house and sprinted ahead. She flung open the door as her eyes searched the room. In a moment she had found her friend; he lay motionless upon the floor, his ashen face smeared with blood. She took little notice of Gerran, who had fallen back and was now supported by several other men.
Tegan ran to the Doctor. She fell to her knees at his side, pressing her hands over his chest. Nyssa and Adric had entered the building a few seconds after she did. Nyssa seemed frozen for a moment, but she finally took a breath then hurried to join Tegan, Adric close at her heels.
"Is he alive?" Nyssa asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"His hearts are beating," Tegan said. She removed the decorative handkerchief from her pocket and began mopping at the blood beneath his nose. "Doctor," she urged, "come on, wake up."
He did not stir.
"Gerran, no!" Ellea's frantic utterance echoed slightly through the room. She stood in the doorway, Vuir beside her.
"Leave us alone," Vuir said firmly to the other men. They left the building begrudgingly.
Nyssa took the Doctor's cold, limp hand. "Did you see Adric after Rannal took his memories?"
Tegan nodded numbly.
"And was he this still? Was there this much blood?"
The Australian shook her head, blinking at the tears clouding her vision. "No. I don't think he was unconscious at all."
"Gerran wanted his memories of the TARDIS," said Nyssa slowly. "But he must have had to take a great deal more…"
Tegan rested her hand on the Time Lord's cheek. "So he's seen what the Doctor's seen."
Nyssa and Tegan exchanged frightened glances, then Tegan turned to face Ellea and Vuir, who had bent over Gerran. The man was writhing, his hands clenching and unclenching as his mouth worked silently.
Tegan pointed at the Doctor. Her voice shook as she asked, "Is he like Shand now?"
Vuir looked up. "I don't know. I can't say how much Gerran took from him."
"Can you do anything to help?" Nyssa asked Vuir.
Vuir shook her head.
Ellea, however, had straightened. "I won't have this happen again," she said, a sudden, deadly calm freezing her features. She rested her hands on Gerran's shoulders then moved them up to his temples.
"What are you doing?" Vuir hissed. "You can't—"
"I'm the only one who can," she said placidly. "After I've finished with him, you know what to do." She closed her eyes.
"What's she doing?" asked Tegan, still wiping at the Doctor's nose.
Vuir shook her head, pressing her hand over her mouth and blinking away tears. Ellea's expression gradually changed to one of wonder then fear. Her arms began to shake, but her hands remained on Gerran's head. After a minute she started to sink to the floor. Vuir wrapped her arms about her waist to keep her from falling.
"What did she mean when she said 'you know what to do'?" asked Tegan.
Vuir glared at her. "Nothing!"
Tegan stood and faced the two women. "No, she knew what she was doing. Tell me what she meant!"
Vuir looked away, but Nyssa's soft voice drew her attention again. "Please, Vuir, if you can do anything to help the Doctor, please, I beg you, do it. Please don't let him end up like Shand."
Vuir swallowed. "It could kill her," she said.
"And Gerran might have killed the Doctor!" Adric said angrily.
"It's what she wants." Nyssa's gentle tone seemed to reach Vuir more deeply than Adric's ire had.
Hesitantly at first, then with surer motions, Vuir helped Ellea move across the floor toward the Doctor, leaning into her ear to say, "You're beside the Doctor now." She lifted the woman's hands and held them over the Doctor's forehead.
Ellea's eyes opened halfway, and she smiled sadly. Then her jaw clenched and her body stiffened. Vuir kept her hands firmly against the Time Lord's head for over a minute as Ellea blanched. Her breathing became shallow, and she began to sway. Tegan, Nyssa, and Adric could see that she was making a tremendous effort to remain conscious. Finally she gasped and collapsed against Vuir.
The healer bent over her niece, caressing her face and speaking soothing words to her. Tegan and Nyssa turned their attentions back to the Doctor, who remained motionless and pale on the floor. Nyssa lifted his eyelid to study the eye while Tegan rubbed his hand lightly with her palms. Adric stood watching the women, deep concern etched into his features.
"What did she do to him?" he finally asked.
Vuir looked up from Ellea. "She tried to take his memories from Gerran and put them back."
"She was able to do it because she's pregnant," Nyssa said with sudden comprehension. "Her abilities must be heightened now."
Vuir nodded. "But I don't know what she's done to herself in the process." Her eyes moved to the Time Lord's pallid face. "And I don't know whether she was successful or not."
"If she wasn't," Tegan said softly to Nyssa, "will he regenerate?"
Nyssa shook her head anxiously then looked up at Adric.
The boy responded, "I honestly don't know."
------
The Doctor lay quietly beneath the sheet, his skin and hair pale against the white linens. His chest rose and fell slowly, almost languidly, but beneath his closed lids his eyes began to move.
"I think he's coming around," Tegan said softly from her chair next to the bed.
Adric and Nyssa both sat on the other side of the room, each reading quietly, he a mathematics text and she a neurobiology reference. They looked up at their companion's words.
Tegan took the Doctor's hand in hers. "Come on, Doctor, it's time to wake up. Rabbits, we've missed your lectures and crazy treks out to the middle of—" She paused to sniff, then dabbed at her nose and eyes with a handkerchief.
He opened his eyes and blinked at her.
"Doctor," she said, "it's me, Te—"
"No!" Nyssa said quickly, moving to her side in an instant. "You have to let him tell us."
Reluctantly Tegan shut her mouth.
"Do you know who we are?" Nyssa asked him gently.
His eyes moved from her face to Tegan's then Adric's, lingering on each for several seconds. He shook his head and pressed a hand over his eyes. Once again Tegan blinked back tears and sniffed into her hankie.
"You're not still having nosebleeds, are you?" the Doctor asked her, uncovering his eyes and sitting up.
"I'm—" Tegan stammered, for once at a true loss for words.
"No, Doctor, she's not," Adric replied with superficial calm, but his voice shook slightly with excitement.
"And you're not either, Adric?" the Time Lord asked.
Adric grinned. "No."
"Well then, everything seems to be back to normal," the Doctor proclaimed cheerily. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and tossed the sheet aside. However, when he began to stand he swayed a bit. Tegan helped him to sit again as Nyssa took a small device from the bedside table and passed it before his eyes.
She studied the diminutive screen for a few moments. When she looked up, he reached for the device, saying, "May I?"
She nodded and handed it to him. His eyes flicked over the readout. "Hmm… I don't seem too worse for the wear," he commented.
"No," Nyssa said, "the readings are all within the normal range—at least I think they are. They're much higher than would be normal for a human."
He cocked an eyebrow at her in response.
"Do you remember what happened to you?" asked Tegan.
He frowned slightly. "I went to the meeting house to speak with Gerran, and someone struck me with a heavy object. I was held down, and Gerran tried to take information from my mind."
"You can remember that?" asked Adric. "I don't have any memory of Rannal doing that to me."
"I figured out what he intended to do a few moments before he began," the Doctor said. "He wanted to know how to operate the TARDIS so that he could take his people back to Earth. He believed the only way to accomplish this was to take the information from me."
"I think he wanted all of your memories," Tegan said. "He planned to leave you like the man in the cave, Shand. They took all his memories and destroyed his mind—"
The Doctor shook his head. "That wouldn't have happened."
"Why not?" Tegan questioned.
"When I realized what his intentions were, I began to shield my thoughts from him. His skill is really quite impressive, though; I wasn't able to prevent him from taking some memories." He frowned again. "But I don't feel that I'm missing anything. Strange—I was certain that he'd taken certain pieces—"
"You were aware of what he was doing?" Adric asked.
"Oh yes. I could feel him trying to remove the memories, tugging with all his mental might at my cognitive stores, as it were. Some images did slip away."
"Ellea returned them to you," Nyssa said.
Surprised and intrigued by this fact, the Doctor said, "Really?"
Nyssa nodded. "Yes. Women who have been pregnant have the ability to implant memories in others. They use it when their children are upset or frightened. Ellea's abilities were heightened due to her pregnancy."
"Is Gerran all right?" the Doctor asked. "I'm afraid that he had access to some rather intense memories, though I tried to cloud the most disturbing ones from him."
"He collapsed," Tegan told him. "We heard him scream, and by the time we reached the meeting house he was writing on the floor. After Ellea gave you back your memories, Vuir told us to leave. She was afraid that others might try to take our memories. Gerran and Ellea were both in pretty bad shape, so the village was focused on them. We managed to get away without anyone bothering us."
"You brought me back here to the TARDIS?" the Time Lord asked.
All three young people nodded. "We took the less rocky route," Tegan added.
"But we haven't left the planet, have we?"
"No, Doctor. We just locked the door," Nyssa replied.
Now he stood, albeit it somewhat cautiously, brushing off Tegan's attempts to support him. He walked toward the door.
"Where are you going?" asked Tegan. "You should rest—"
"I've rested quite long enough," he retorted. "We're going back to the village so that I can be certain that Ellea is all right." He stopped abruptly then turned back to the bed to retrieve the device Nyssa had used on him. "For Shand," he said simply then walked out of the room.
------
The TARDIS materialized near Shand's cave. The Doctor suggested that his companions wait inside the ship, but all three insisted on accompanying him on his errand. When he stepped outside, the Doctor was surprised to find that darkness had fallen.
"How long was I unconscious?" he asked.
Tegan answered a bit gruffly, "Fourteen hours."
"Really? Hmm…interesting." He made no further comment as they walked along, guided by a halogen lantern that Adric carried.
As they neared the cave, Nyssa turned to Adric. "Dim the light," she said. "If he's awake it will hurt his eyes."
Adric adjusted the brightness then looked up. "Is that how you knew what Gerran was going to do to you?" he asked the Doctor.
"What do you mean?"
"The light—the way it hurt Shand's eyes. That was similar to my reaction."
The Doctor nodded. "Yes. His pupils were abnormally dilated, just like yours and Tegan's. When I saw that, I realized that whatever had happened to you two had also been done to him, only to a greater degree. As soon as I was attacked in the meeting house, I understood what was happening."
"They didn't realize that Shand would live," Nyssa said softly. "Vuir thought that he was mortally wounded, so Cira and the others took all of his memories. When Vuir realized that she had saved his body, his mind was ruined."
"Fascinating," the Doctor said. "They removed all traces of his identity and personality, leaving him with only cerebellar functions. They must have disrupted the performance of the entire cerebrum."
"Cira tried to put his memories back, but Ellea said it caused him terrible pain," Tegan added. Suddenly she gripped the Doctor's arm. "Did it hurt you?"
He shook his head as he placed his hand over hers. "No, I don't believe I felt anything."
They stopped at the entrance to the cave. Adric set the lantern on the ground. It glowed faintly, providing scant illumination inside the small cavern.
"Wait here," the Doctor instructed.
"No," Nyssa said, "I'm going in with you. I think that my voice calmed him, and he might recognize me."
"Let me go in first, at least, to see if he's still here," the Doctor said. He slipped into the cave for a few seconds, then called to Nyssa to join him.
She found him bending over Shand, who had moved to the far wall. He sat hunched against the rock, and he appeared dazed.
"Shand?" she said gently, moving toward him.
He did not acknowledge her. The Doctor removed the small device from his pocket and switched it on. It emitted a faint, blue light, but he held his hand over the screen to keep the light to a minimum. He passed the device before Shand's eyes, eliciting little response from the man.
As the Doctor turned to study the readout, Nyssa lifted the water jug to Shand's mouth, urging him to drink. The cool liquid splashed against his closed lips and dripped down his chin.
"I don't think he's able to drink," she said softly.
The Time Lord pocketed the device with a sigh. "His neural activity is severely diminished."
"Did Adric's blow hurt him further?"
"I don't know."
"Then this could be my fault."
He rested his hand on her shoulder. "No, Nyssa, you're in no way to blame for any of this—"
Tegan's voice echoed slightly at the mouth of the cave. "Doctor," she called lightly, "someone's coming!"
Nyssa and the Doctor left the cave. A woman was walking toward them. She carried a large basket over her arm. In gray light it was difficult to see her clearly.
"Ellea?" Tegan hailed her recent hostess.
The figure glanced back then hurried ahead. "No, it's Cira," she called back.
When she reached them she set the basket on the ground then glanced toward the cave. "Is he in there?"
The Doctor replied, "Yes. But his condition has worsened, I'm afraid."
"What are you doing out here?" Tegan asked. "I thought that Ellea brought Shand's food."
Cira's expression fell. "She couldn't come."
"Oh no," Nyssa said, "has she lost the baby?"
"No, but she's weak, and Gerran isn't well. Vuir is with both of them." She reached for the basket with another glance at the cave's entrance. "He's my husband. This should have been my responsibility all along."
"You have the children to take care of," Nyssa said.
"I've arranged for one of the other women to come and stay with them every morning. We've all agreed to take responsibility for Shand."
Nyssa nodded. "I think that's a good decision."
"Tell me about Gerran," the Doctor urged.
"He's confused and agitated. He seems terribly frightened, but he can't tell us of what. Vuir's given him some tea with calming properties, and it seems to be helping a little."
"Has anyone tried to help him in another way?" asked the Doctor.
Cira appeared confused, so he clarified. "Can you or another one of the women give him some tranquil memories? I think it would calm him."
She considered this for a moment. "We can try."
"Perhaps I should return to the village with you and see if I can help him," the Doctor began.
Tegan, however, took his arm roughly. "Doctor! You can't! After what he tried to do to you, to take everything from your mind—"
"He was desperate," the Doctor said.
Cira was shaking her head. "You should leave this planet as soon as possible. The other men are already out searching for you. They still believe that you're their only hope. It's not safe for you here."
"Come on," Tegan urged. "Let's just go."
"Wait," the Doctor said. "Cira, I'd like you to try something for me."
"What?" she asked.
He took her hand and led her into the cave. She gasped when she saw Shand. "It's been months," she whispered, frozen for an instant. She recovered quickly and knelt next to him, saying his name softly.
"Try giving him a memory," the Doctor said gently.
"Oh! I can't. We tried that before, and it caused him great pain—"
"Was that right after you had taken his memories, after he'd been injured?"
She nodded.
"His entire body was fighting to stay alive. But he's recovered from those injuries now. His mind may be more receptive to receiving information."
"I don't want to hurt him again," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Just try," he urged.
Slowly she placed her hands over his temples and closed her eyes.
"Just something small—try giving him a memory of drinking water."
She remained still for a few seconds then looked up at Shand's face. His expression had not changed, and there was no evidence that he was in pain.
The Doctor held the water jug out to her. She took it and lifted it to his lips. "Drink, Shand," she said gently.
He was motionless, his eyes lowered to the floor. But after a few moments he looked at her and opened his mouth. She tilted the jug, and he swallowed a few drops without spilling any.
The Doctor smiled. "Try to give him another memory tomorrow," he suggested, "but just a small one again. I think he may be able to relearn some skills and possibly even some language if you give him the memories slowly."
Cira blinked back tears. "Thank you."
Nyssa slipped into the cave again. She held a book in her hands. "Cira," she said, "would you give this to Vuir? I think she'll find it interesting and helpful."
Cira took the book with a nod then returned her attention to her husband.
"Good luck," Nyssa murmured as she and the Doctor left the cave.
As they walked back to the TARDIS, he asked her, "Which book did you give her?"
"A basic genetics text. If Vuir can develop an understanding of genetics, she may be able to help the others avoid some of the birth defects they've recently seen. I know it might take several generations, but at least this will provide a start."
"That was very thoughtful of you."
Tegan and Adric waited anxiously just inside the TARDIS. She poked her head out every few seconds to scan the area around them. As Nyssa and the Doctor neared her, she urged, "Hurry up!"
Once all four travelers were safely inside and the Doctor had closed the door, Tegan sighed in relief.
"I don't think there was any pressing danger," the Doctor said.
"No? Have you forgotten what they tried to do to you?" Before he could answer, Tegan added, "Because I haven't. I may have forgotten what they did to me, but I'll always have the memory of you lying on that floor after Gerran tried to—"
He placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for looking out for me."
"Doctor," Adric said, "I agree with Tegan on this one. Let's get away from here."
The Time Lord nodded agreeably and turned toward the console.